Low hydraulic resistance cartridge

Abstract

A cartridge for treating medical or biological fluid includes a first cap having an inlet for the fluid, a container including a plurality of compartments and a second cap including an outlet for the fluid, wherein each compartment contains a plurality of particles, wherein the fluid is adapted to flow through the compartments and react with the plurality of particles.

1. A cartridge for treating medical or biological fluid comprising:
 a container housing defining a inner chamber having a chamber wall and an input end and an outlet end, the container housing having an inner chamber length from the input end to the outlet end such that the inner chamber width is at least three times larger than the inner chamber length, the inner chamber length measured in the general direction of fluid flow through the filtering apparatus between the input end and the outlet end; 
 the input end having an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid distribution chamber having a fluid inlet at the apex of the conical fluid distribution chamber; 
 the outlet end having an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid collection chamber having a fluid outlet at the apex of the conical fluid collection chamber; 
 a plurality of fluid permeable separators extending inwardly beginning proximate to the inner wall and into the inner chamber, the separators defining a plurality of open ended compartments inside the container housing wherein fluid can flow through the separators and between the compartments and wherein solid particles are retained by the separators in the compartments, the compartments each having a compartment length in the general direction of fluid flow though the filter from the conical fluid distribution chamber to the conical fluid collection chamber, each compartment having a first open inlet end proximate to the conical fluid distribution chamber and a second open outlet end proximate the conical fluid collection chamber, each open inlet and outlet end of the compartments having a dimension across the open end that is equal to or shorter than the compartment length; 
 a first screen disposed between the conical fluid distribution chamber and the open inlet ends of the compartments, the screen distributing fluid flowing through the inlet and conical fluid distribution chamber to the open inlet ends of the compartments; and 
 a second screen disposed between the conical fluid collection chamber and the open outlet ends of the compartments, the second screen retaining particles in the compartments and preventing particles in the compartments from entering the conical collection chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of compartments are aligned in parallel. 
     
     
       3. The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of adsorbent particles wherein the compartments are substantially filled with the adsorbent particles and wherein the particles adsorb impurities from a medical or biological fluid flowing therethough. 
     
     
       4. The cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein the particles are porous. 
     
     
       5. The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of particles wherein the compartments are substantially filled with the particles and wherein the particles comprise one or more of activated charcoal, urease, zirconium phosphate, hydrous zirconium oxide and activated carbon. 
     
     
       6. The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of particles wherein the compartments are substantially filled with the particles and wherein the particles comprise each of activated charcoal, urease, zirconium phosphate, hydrous zirconium oxide and activated carbon. 
     
     
       7. The cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the input end further comprises a first removable cap. 
     
     
       8. cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the outlet end comprises a second removable cap. 
     
     
       9. The cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a fluid pump connected to the input end. 
     
     
       10. The cartridge of  claim 9  wherein the fluid pump is a shuttle pump. 
     
     
       11. A filtering apparatus for medical or biological fluid comprising:
 a container housing defining a inner chamber having a chamber wall and an input end and an outlet end, the container housing having an inner chamber length from the input end to the outlet end such that the inner chamber width is at least three times larger than the inner chamber length, the inner chamber length measured in the general direction of fluid flow through the filtering apparatus between the input end and the outlet end; 
 a first cap removably and sealingly attached to the input end of the container housing, the first cap having a substantially flat outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid distribution chamber having a fluid inlet at the apex of the conical fluid distribution chamber; 
 a second cap removably and sealingly attached to the outlet end of the container housing, the second cap having a substantially flat outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid collection chamber having a fluid outlet at the apex of the conical fluid collection chamber; 
 a plurality of fluid permeable separators extending inwardly from the inner chamber wall and into the inner chamber and defining a plurality of open ended compartments inside the container housing wherein solid particles are retained by the separators in the compartments, the compartments each having a compartment length from the input end of the container housing to the outlet end of the container housing, each compartment having a first open inlet end proximate to the conical fluid distribution chamber and a second open outlet end proximate the conical fluid collection chamber, each open inlet and outlet end of the compartments having a dimension across the open end that is equal to or shorter than the compartment length; 
 a first screen disposed between the conical fluid distribution chamber and the open inlet ends of the compartments, the screen distributing fluid flowing through the inlet and conical fluid distribution chamber to the open inlet ends of the compartments; and 
 a second screen disposed between the conical fluid collection chamber and the open outlet ends of the compartments, the second screen retaining particles in the compartments and preventing particles in the compartments from entering the conical fluid collection chamber. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the first screen is disposed between the conical fluid distribution chamber and the compartments and wherein the first screen is removable upon removing the first cap from the container housing. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the first screen is disposed between the conical fluid collection chamber and the compartments and wherein the second screen is removable upon removing the second cap from the container housing. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the fluid inlet and fluid outlet are disposed on a central axis of the container and wherein the compartments are symmetrically arranged around the axis. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising a solid particulate adsorption medium and wherein the compartments are substantially filled with the solid particulate adsorption medium. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the filter medium is selected from one or more of activated charcoal and activated carbon. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the release material comprises urease. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising a release material that modifies impurities in a medical or biological fluid flowing through the apparatus. 
     
     
       19. A filtering apparatus for medical or biological fluid comprising:
 a container housing defining a inner chamber having a chamber wall and an input end and an outlet end, the container housing having an inner chamber length from the input end to the outlet end such that the inner chamber width is at least three times larger than the inner chamber length, the inner chamber length measured in the general direction of fluid flow through the filtering apparatus between the input end and the outlet end; 
 a first cap removeably and sealingly attached to the input end of the container housing, the first cap having a substantially flat outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid distribution chamber having a fluid inlet at the apex of the conical distribution chamber; 
 a second cap removeably and sealingly attached to the outlet end of the container housing, the second cap having a substantially flat outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall defining an inwardly opening conical fluid collection chamber having a fluid outlet at the apex of the conical collection chamber; 
 a plurality of fluid permeable separators extending inwardly from the inner chamber wall and into the inner chamber and defining a plurality of open ended compartments inside the container housing wherein fluid can flow through the separators and between the compartments and wherein solid particles are retained by the separators in the compartments, the compartments each having a compartment length from the input end of the container housing to the outlet end of the container housing, each compartment having a first open inlet end proximate to the conical fluid distribution chamber and a second open outlet end proximate the conical collection chamber, each open inlet and outlet end of the compartments having a dimension across the open end that is equal to or shorter than the compartment length; 
 a first screen disposed between the conical fluid distribution chamber and the open inlet ends of the compartments, the screen distributing fluid flowing through the inlet and conical fluid distribution chamber to the open inlet ends of the compartments; 
 a second screen disposed between the conical fluid collection chamber and the open outlet ends of the compartments, the second screen retaining particles in the compartments and preventing particles in the compartments from entering the conical collection chamber; 
 a first plurality of fasteners securing the first cap to the input end of the container housing with the first screen disposed between the conical fluid distribution chamber and the compartments and wherein the first screen is removable upon removing the fasteners and removing the first cap from the container housing; and 
 a second plurality of fasteners securing the second cap to the outlet end of the container housing with the second screen disposed between the conical fluid collection chamber and the compartments and wherein the second screen is removable upon removing the fasteners and removing the second cap from the container housing. 
 
     
     
       20. The cartridge of  claim 19  wherein the fasteners are arranged around the perimeter of the first and second caps.